Include Money Matters in Your New Year’s Resolution

“Why should we even have to talk about money? Isn’t it a dirty topic? Isn’t it a taboo?”

What do you think? Let me tell you what I think…

We talk about money because money matters. It matters. Definitely, it is not the most important thing in life. But it affects the important things in life – like family, faith, friends and fitness. To be able to help your family, you need money. To be able to nourish your faith (perhaps by going to church), you need money (at least even just for your transpo). To be able to further assist friends and build projects with them, you need money. To maintain your health, you need money to buy good food. It surely is not the most important thing in the world but it affects the important things in life.

It’s not even dirty. It is neutral. Money is a tool. It is not bad or good. It depends on who uses it and how it is used. It can be bad if it is used by a bad person but it can be very good if it is used by a good person. It can be clean as the motives and intention of a good person using it. It is simply a tool that has to be used well, as appropriate.

We have been fooled by the portrayal of filthy rich people on TV shows, movies and comics. Most of the rich people shown there are bad who take advantage of the poor. There may be rich people who are bad but not all of them are bad. Many of them are good.

Goodness does not even depend on how much you have. It depends on who you are. (Yes, there poor people who are good and there are also those who are bad.) Thus, quit associating evil with how much money a person has, rather, on who he or she is.

“But I don’t want to talk about money. I don’t even have much money. Can I just forget about it?”

At times, when we don’t have the money we need and want, we tend to ignore money topics. But shouldn’t we talk about it more because we need it more? It matters to talk about it. But it doesn’t seem right to talk about it unless we come to better understanding of what money is.

What is money for you? It is important to settle this issue…

Money is only a medium of exchange. Money is a symbol of value. To have money is to exchange something of value. That’s why when you offer a product of value, you get paid for a certain amount of money. That’s why when you render a service that helps, you get paid for a certain amount of money. That amount of money is the quantified value of the product or service that was given away.

Essentially, when we speak about money, we should speak about value. How can this product or service serve the customers or clients? That’s how entrepreneurs make money. They give value to the society.

It is similar with employees. When an employee wants to increase his or her salary, he or she should ask how the performance and productivity can be improved to be able to deliver better results for the company. In turn, the company will see the output and perhaps declare performance bonus or give salary increase as appropriate. It can even give away profit sharing for the employees.

Money flows where value flows.

We talk about money because it is necessary. It is part of life. It simply has to be anchored to its real purpose with the goodness of the people using it. We talk about money because it matters. After all, money is a tool to further the goodness of life. In the end, it is not about money. It is all about the value being exchanged, value being shared.

Live your life, young mind!

Chris Dao-anis

(Chris Dao-anis gives talks, trainings and workshops on communication, public speaking and personal leadership. His latest book ‘Living Large in the Little Things’ is available at Mt. Cloud Bookshop, Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Road and at Psalms Bookstore at Sunshine – Baguio City. For more info, visit www.chrispoweracademy.com.)

Share this:

Like this:

Published by Chris Dao-anis

Chris Dao-anis, CPA, DTM is an inspirational speaker, leadership trainer, recollection master, book coach, and public speaking coach. He authored five books to date, including SPEAK: How to Craft and Deliver a Speech or Presentation with Competence and Confidence. He has been of service to different audiences across the Philippines. He aims to help you convey your message, sell your story, and lead people.
View more posts